I think it's interesting that he's suing the TSA agent as well as the TSA.

If he wins this will hopefully put the fear of god in those guys.

Plus a bunch of TSA agents are moonlighting from another Federal job, because they get very favorable tax benefits out of it (read: very low tax rate on those wages). So you have a bunch of people who just worked 8 hours at Federal Bureau of what ever and then they go work at the TSA. They're already tired and grumpy when they get there. Add a god complex to that and what did anyone think would happen?

djrfark:colinspooky: Every time we arrived at an airport, we ordered the kids never to say the 'b-word' or mention anything along those lines, even as a joke. Why can't people understand that? Imagine the fall out (hmm) if the TSA people just laughed off all the 'jokes' and then one wasn't a joke. Who would be laughing then? Hope the courts throw out this appalling legal action and ensure this chap pays all the legal costs for both sides.

Yeah, cause the first thing someone carrying a bomb is gonna do is joke about carrying a bomb.

What;'s the First Rule of the Bomb Joke Club?

Seriously, as someone who was flying for a long time before 9/11 & the TSA, it was never, ever acceptable to engage in any explosives related talk while in a security line. People got twitchy in the olden days, too.

All I can think of is Penn and Teller with the Steel Ball trick they used on each other pre 9/11. The one behind rolling a ball through each time the other had to walk through the metal detectors. Pretty funny actually.

But joking about a bomb anywhere near a TSA agent (and they do have plainclothes guys wandering the airport too) is lunacy. You don't even talk about a movie "bombing" at the box office, or some song "blowing up" the charts.

Just like most normal people wouldn't curse in church, there are just certain things you don't do in certain places, unless you have Alzheimer's, Tourettes, are you are 7. There's free speech, and then there's being a dumbass.

TSA agents don't get paid enough, even though they have their share of numbnuts. But they are not going to be the one who let someone on a plane with something destructive if they can help it. Overzealous? Sure. But could you ever sleep at night if you were the one who cleared someone who did something like that? If confiscating a jar of peanut butter makes me sleep better as a TSA agent (I am not one by the way, but a frequent flyer), no problem for me. Like that silly little bitach who flipped off a judge in Miami a few days back. Stupid is as stupid does.

WAY before 911. I remember a MAD magazine Lighter Side Of... cartoon where the passengers are walking through the terminal and one of them asks what the inflight movie is, and when he's told, he says, "Ugh, not that bomb" and cops jump him from all sides. That was 30+ years ago. I can't find it, but someone else has to remember this, right?

This kind of "joke" was taken seriously BEFORE 9/11. You can fill one hand with the money you are gonna get from this case and take a dump in the other and see which one fills up faster.

Being stupid in the past doesn't mean we should be stupid in the future. For all this worry about jokes and the massive resources and attention we give to the perpetrators, there must be good data that real bombers like to make jokes pre-flight right? Please tell me this isn't all theater. Once? Has it happened at least once in the history of US air travel?

Don't give the TSA a reason to look at you one second longer than is necessary. You probably don't want to waste the time, and they'll make you pay twice as hard for farking with their day.

So try not to say any of the individual syllables that make up the words "bomb", "terrorist/ism", "al Qaeda" (best not to travel with anyone named Albert, Alfred, Albemarle or Kayden/Caden/Qayddin)anywhere near where the TSA might be listening. It's an airport, not your office.

fredklein:... or do what the TSA can't, and recognize farking sarcasm.

That's exactly the point. Although, it's not that they can't recognize sarcasm, it's that they won't. I don't like the TSA anymore than anyone else but every single person knows from ample precedents that airport security (both pre-911 and the TSA that we deal with now) always has and always will treat stupid jokes about bombs as serious threats. Like it or not, that's how they operate and everyone knows it. If you make a joke like that to the TSA you're going to get stomped. You'd have to be an idiot to expect any other outcome.

I realize that everyone is supposed to know not to make jokes about this shiat, and TSA is not at liberty to guess what's a joke and what's serious. They had every right to keep him off the plane. But charging him with a felony and holding him in a cell for 24 hours seems excessive.

And to my ears, "falsely reporting an incident" sounds like the wrong charge in any case. A quick Google search turned up this discussion. On element of the crime, clearly, is a "report," which the statute does not appear to define. But I would expect it to require an intentional communication to a law enforcement or safety official. Is it a "report" when you say something to a family member that happens to be within earshot of a safety official? Intuitively, that just doesn't sound like a "report" to me. There's probably case law on the matter, but if not, that's what I would be arguing if I were this guy's lawyer.

While the TSA hate is well founded, if this leaking dickhead would have made that little joke 15 years ago he would have ended up in a little room talking to unsmiling men. He may not have been arrested, but making a (false) statement that you have explosives while going through security at an airport has never been a good idea.

This kind of "joke" was taken seriously BEFORE 9/11. You can fill one hand with the money you are gonna get from this case and take a dump in the other and see which one fills up faster.

Being stupid in the past doesn't mean we should be stupid in the future. For all this worry about jokes and the massive resources and attention we give to the perpetrators, there must be good data that real bombers like to make jokes pre-flight right? Please tell me this isn't all theater. Once? Has it happened at least once in the history of US air travel?

Don't give the TSA a reason to look at you one second longer than is necessary. You probably don't want to waste the time, and they'll make you pay twice as hard for farking with their day.

So try not to say any of the individual syllables that make up the words "bomb", "terrorist/ism", "al Qaeda" (best not to travel with anyone named Albert, Alfred, Albemarle or Kayden/Caden/Qayddin)anywhere near where the TSA might be listening. It's an airport, not your office.

Sure. We have unlimited resources. Let's waste time/attention/money on jokes. Just because there isn't a shred of evidence a real bomber likes to makes jokes is no reason not to really stomp some farkers.

Louisiana_Sitar_Club:You're an idiot. This didn't happen because the TSA mistook peanut butter for a bomb. This happened because he made a clear declaration that he had explosives with him. From the article: "Hannibal then commented to his wife and children that 'They're looking to confiscate my explosives

Too stupid to recognize that the peanut butter was the "explosive" in question? The context of them talking about peanut butter, and commenting how they were confused about it seperating didn't clue you in to that?

Even if the peabutbutter wasn;t the explosive, they still shoudl have tackled him to keep him away from any of the luggage or stuff that could explode. They didn't. They didn't think it was a real threat.

You guys are some farking pansy asses. Dogpiling on him for making fun of the TSA. What he said was obviously satire meant to insult the intelligence of the TSO. Getting arrested for it was just their vengeance. I hope he wins in court, this isn't a "fire in a theater" situation, this was him talking to his family about the ridiculous state of airport security in this nation.

NightOwl2255:While the TSA hate is well founded, if this leaking dickhead would have made that little joke 15 years ago he would have ended up in a little room talking to unsmiling men. He may not have been arrested, but making a (false) statement that you have explosives while going through security at an airport has never been a good idea.

liam76:Louisiana_Sitar_Club: You're an idiot. This didn't happen because the TSA mistook peanut butter for a bomb. This happened because he made a clear declaration that he had explosives with him. From the article: "Hannibal then commented to his wife and children that 'They're looking to confiscate my explosives

Too stupid to recognize that the peanut butter was the "explosive" in question? The context of them talking about peanut butter, and commenting how they were confused about it seperating didn't clue you in to that?

Even if the peabutbutter wasn;t the explosive, they still shoudl have tackled him to keep him away from any of the luggage or stuff that could explode. They didn't. They didn't think it was a real threat.

I'm sure they knew he was talking about the peanut butter. I'm sure they knew it wasn't really a bomb. I addressed this issue specifically and in detail in my last post. In case you missed it, here it is:

"That's exactly the point. Although, it's not that they can't recognize sarcasm, it's that they won't. I don't like the TSA anymore than anyone else but every single person knows from ample precedents that airport security (both pre-911 and the TSA that we deal with now) always has and always will treat stupid jokes about bombs as serious threats. Like it or not, that's how they operate and everyone knows it. If you make a joke like that to the TSA you're going to get stomped. You'd have to be an idiot to expect any other outcome."

As stated in my original post, the problem is not that they thought the peanut butter was a bomb. The problem was that he claimed (even though it was just a stupid joke) that he had explosives with him.Why is this so hard to understand?

liam76:Louisiana_Sitar_Club: You're an idiot. This didn't happen because the TSA mistook peanut butter for a bomb. This happened because he made a clear declaration that he had explosives with him. From the article: "Hannibal then commented to his wife and children that 'They're looking to confiscate my explosives

Too stupid to recognize that the peanut butter was the "explosive" in question? The context of them talking about peanut butter, and commenting how they were confused about it seperating didn't clue you in to that?

Even if the peabutbutter wasn;t the explosive, they still shoudl have tackled him to keep him away from any of the luggage or stuff that could explode. They didn't. They didn't think it was a real threat.

They KNOW it's not a real threat. Do you think they put the confiscated hair gel, Diet Cokes, and hand lotion in a big bin right next to where they stand all day thinking it's a bomb? Of course not. It's a dog and pony show - but it's a dog and pony show that is current law. This guy decided to be an asshat. Every person knows you don't joke about bombs at the airport. Every person knows you can't take liquids through security. His douche-baggery backfired or perhaps his plan all along to try to get a payday. Either way, he deserved what he got. Did the TSA overreact? Yes, and they did exactly what the dog and pony show says they are supposed to do. It gives us all a warm fuzzy knowing he didn't get his peanut butter on-board the plane. Meanwhile, the crazy-looking dude that is shouting to Allah gets to walk right on the plane because giving him any shiat would be racial profiling.

Earl of Chives:Sure. We have unlimited resources. Let's waste time/attention/money on jokes. Just because there isn't a shred of evidence a real bomber likes to makes jokes is no reason not to really stomp some farkers

Let's all agree that Real Bombers don't make bomb jokes, just for the sake of argument (because I don't feel like researching it). OK? Ok.

The real question is: Do Real Bombers make threats about having bombs?

Because if they do, then TSA probably does not want one of their mouthbreathers making the determination between what is a "joke" and what was a "threat". I kinda get that.

I've seen stupid shiate like this all the time, it seems like every other time I'm in an airport somebody is freaking out and screaming I'M GOING TO MISS MY FLIGHT and attempting to sprint through the metal detector like a freaking madman or having a nervous breakdown because somebody wants them to throw away their Big Gulp.

Too Pretty For Prison:liam76: Louisiana_Sitar_Club: You're an idiot. This didn't happen because the TSA mistook peanut butter for a bomb. This happened because he made a clear declaration that he had explosives with him. From the article: "Hannibal then commented to his wife and children that 'They're looking to confiscate my explosives

Too stupid to recognize that the peanut butter was the "explosive" in question? The context of them talking about peanut butter, and commenting how they were confused about it seperating didn't clue you in to that?

Even if the peabutbutter wasn;t the explosive, they still shoudl have tackled him to keep him away from any of the luggage or stuff that could explode. They didn't. They didn't think it was a real threat.

They KNOW it's not a real threat. Do you think they put the confiscated hair gel, Diet Cokes, and hand lotion in a big bin right next to where they stand all day thinking it's a bomb? Of course not. It's a dog and pony show - but it's a dog and pony show that is current law. This guy decided to be an asshat. Every person knows you don't joke about bombs at the airport. Every person knows you can't take liquids through security. His douche-baggery backfired or perhaps his plan all along to try to get a payday. Either way, he deserved what he got. Did the TSA overreact? Yes, and they did exactly what the dog and pony show says they are supposed to do. It gives us all a warm fuzzy knowing he didn't get his peanut butter on-board the plane. Meanwhile, the crazy-looking dude that is shouting to Allah gets to walk right on the plane because giving him any shiat would be racial profiling.

Want to know why you can't take liquids on the plane? They were given a device that could detect how explosive it is, but since it used laser light, they couldn't trust the TSO's not to shine it in their eyes or passenger's eyes and cause damage. So it was never deployed.

They actually did a study for that UV flashlight when they check your license/passport to make sure that staring into it for 30 minutes straight wouldn't damage someone's eyesight.

having made bomb jokes in line at the airport I'm really getting a kick out of this. I blame George Carlin. He should get a few grand maybe. Heck I know someone who got 50K out of a major department store for false imprisonment after being wrongly held for a few hours. It could have been settled right there by giving him a real hard time then sending him on his way.

Girion47:Want to know why you can't take liquids on the plane? They were given a device that could detect how explosive it is, but since it used laser light, they couldn't trust the TSO's not to shine it in their eyes or passenger's eyes and cause damage. So it was never deployed.

RedT:Earl of Chives: Sure. We have unlimited resources. Let's waste time/attention/money on jokes. Just because there isn't a shred of evidence a real bomber likes to makes jokes is no reason not to really stomp some farkers

Let's all agree that Real Bombers don't make bomb jokes, just for the sake of argument (because I don't feel like researching it). OK? Ok.

The real question is: Do Real Bombers make threats about having bombs?

Because if they do, then TSA probably does not want one of their mouthbreathers making the determination between what is a "joke" and what was a "threat". I kinda get that.

Awhile back I worked for a large company HQ'ed in downtown Oklahoma City. We were standing in the street waiting for the police and fire people to clear the building after a called in bomb threat. Of course no bomb was found. We all agreeded that bomb threats shold be ignored. We could not think of a time in the US (unlike Northern Ireland) in which a person called in a real bomb threat, but there are hundreds, if not thousands of fake ones called in. And we were two blocks away from where the federal building used to stand before being blown up. And of course, no call was made before blowing it up.

The guy is foolish, he could have humbled himself out of the problem, saying he had made a bad joke, it was dumb, and he was sorry. Confronted with that attitude, I believe the TSA would have sent him on his way.

The_Sponge:Girion47: Want to know why you can't take liquids on the plane? They were given a device that could detect how explosive it is, but since it used laser light, they couldn't trust the TSO's not to shine it in their eyes or passenger's eyes and cause damage. So it was never deployed.

TSA employees:

Worse than special ed kids.

I had to do a lot of research for them once because they all started thinking that wearing MBT's and Skecher Shape-Ups would be a good idea.

Shoes that intentionally alter your balance, while your job is to stand all day. Yeah....no.

Glancing Blow:The guy is foolish, he could have humbled himself out of the problem, saying he had made a bad joke, it was dumb, and he was sorry. Confronted with that attitude, I believe the TSA would have sent him on his way.

I doubt it. The TSA has zero humor about explosives. Once he made the "joke" he was farked. He was going to be denied boarding and talked to at the very least. And most likely will end up on the no fly list.

Girion47:They actually did a study for that UV flashlight when they check your license/passport to make sure that staring into it for 30 minutes straight wouldn't damage someone's eyesight.

That's BS. Anything 460nm or below has potential to damage eyesight, especially higher-energy wavelengths like UV. You can trigger, or accelerate, macular degeneration.

Wanna know how I know? My LED lighting business is required to state the class 2 (or class 3 depending upon power of the diode) direct hazard to your eyesight on all products and the website. BY REGULATION.

khyberkitsune:Girion47: They actually did a study for that UV flashlight when they check your license/passport to make sure that staring into it for 30 minutes straight wouldn't damage someone's eyesight.

That's BS. Anything 460nm or below has potential to damage eyesight, especially higher-energy wavelengths like UV. You can trigger, or accelerate, macular degeneration.

Wanna know how I know? My LED lighting business is required to state the class 2 (or class 3 depending upon power of the diode) direct hazard to your eyesight on all products and the website. BY REGULATION.

Okay, take that up with the Army Optics Research Lab who cleared it for use.

Girion47:Okay, take that up with the Army Optics Research Lab who cleared it for use.

AORL isn't exactly the brightest bulb in the bunch (no pun intended.)

UV PERIOD is bad to shine in someone's eyes. Sure, we've got SOME filtration (that gets removed if you have cataract surgery) but given the narrow emission angle of the stated lights, these put the overall photon flux density at VERY high levels.

And if they're using UVB wavelengths, even worse. We don't have a way to filter that out (and many UV diodes start with a UVB base and convert some light to UVA/visible blue.)

Louisiana_Sitar_Club:liam76: Louisiana_Sitar_Club: You're an idiot. This didn't happen because the TSA mistook peanut butter for a bomb. This happened because he made a clear declaration that he had explosives with him. From the article: "Hannibal then commented to his wife and children that 'They're looking to confiscate my explosives

Too stupid to recognize that the peanut butter was the "explosive" in question? The context of them talking about peanut butter, and commenting how they were confused about it seperating didn't clue you in to that?

Even if the peabutbutter wasn;t the explosive, they still shoudl have tackled him to keep him away from any of the luggage or stuff that could explode. They didn't. They didn't think it was a real threat.

I'm sure they knew he was talking about the peanut butter.

If they knew he was talking about the peanut butter and they knew it wasn't a bomb it shouldn't have gone any further.

Louisiana_Sitar_Club:Although, it's not that they can't recognize sarcasm, it's that they won't. I don't like the TSA anymore than anyone else but every single person knows from ample precedents that airport security (both pre-911 and the TSA that we deal with now) always has and always will treat stupid jokes about bombs as serious threats. Like it or not, that's how they operate and everyone knows it. If you make a joke like that to the TSA you're going to get stomped. You'd have to be an idiot to expect any other outcome

Just because "they won't" listen to sarcasm, and you think it will mess up your day, doesn't mean the TSA is right or that he doesn't have a lawsuit.

I am nto saying his actions are in the same league as Rosa Parks, but the fact is back then people knew the bus driver "won't" let her sit up front and if she tried she would be arrested.

Louisiana_Sitar_Club:problem was that he claimed (even though it was just a stupid joke) that he had explosives with him.

Peopel shouldn't be arrested over s tupid joke whent here is clearly no danger.Why is this so hard to understand?

Too Pretty For Prison:They KNOW it's not a real threat. Do you think they put the confiscated hair gel, Diet Cokes, and hand lotion in a big bin right next to where they stand all day thinking it's a bomb? Of course not. It's a dog and pony show - but it's a dog and pony show that is current law. This guy decided to be an asshat. Every person knows you don't joke about bombs at the airport. Every person knows you can't take liquids through security. His douche-baggery backfired or perhaps his plan all along to try to get a payday. Either way, he deserved what he got. Did the TSA overreact? Yes, and they did exactly what the dog and pony show says they are supposed to do. It gives us all a warm fuzzy knowing he didn't get his peanut butter on-board the plane. Meanwhile, the crazy-looking dude that is shouting to Allah gets to walk right on the plane because giving him any shiat would be racial profiling

Being an asshat isn't against the law.

I woudl have no problem witht he agent if they tossed his peanut butter. I think the rule is stupid, but at least it is consitutional.